Fun flying over Durban

Clear Durban Skyye

Pilot Student Greg takes to the skyye over Durban in training for his licence.

Sling Trainer ZDF

Durban Skyye Flight School has updated it's training aircraft to a new Sling Trainer ZDF. Here CEO Dave Mc Naught poses with the plane in it's new flight school branding. Recalls Dave - "When I was first learning to fly I needed confidence in the aircraft I was training with so I felt it important to have modern aircraft to train in and with the latest updated technology. The Sling trainer has a touch-screen computer EFIS (electonic flight instrument system) as well as backup standard instruments.

Beautiful scenery

Instructor Dave in the Durban Skyye

Durban's Umhlanga coastline from 800 feet

Student pilot enjoyed his first lesson

Passing Durban's Stadium

Air Experience Certificate to our new student

Umhlanga Lighthouse

Durban beachfront and piers

Returning to Virginia after a good day flying

A bit windswept but she enjoyed learning to fly our Sling aircraft

We're going to land this plane

Dave with student Andrew preparing for some sunset landings at Virginia Airport

The runway lights are on as Andrew is on short finals for runway 05 Virginia

The Durban coastline on base as we turn final approach

The colours of the skyye as the sun prepares to set

Into the blue yonder

One beauty doing circuit training from Virginia Airport is that you get to see our magnificent Durban coastline at all times of the day. Stunning morning flights as well as the sunset ones.

Bobby flying with our flight school instructor Dave

The piers off the Durban beachfront

Gathering darkness as the sun goes down on crosswind for runway 05 Virginia

Car petrol gets us there

Refuelling the aircraft is one of the daily tasks running a flight school. Fortunately the Rotax 912 engines of our Sling aircraft take 95 octane unleaded car petrol, so the expense is kept low, it's convenient to refuel and the aircraft are economical to fly. 

Each tankful of petrol is filtered through a special filter designed also to eliminate water, as well as any impurities in the fuel.

Part of the pre-landing checks ensures that there is enough fuel in the aircraft to continue flying in the event of an aborted landing. There should be 45 mins of fuel in reserve for this purpose.

Know your Spots

Know your Spots is an aviation safety awareness campaign launched by our local Civil Aviation Authority this year to improve pilots' awareness of their own limitations - in the same way that leopards cannot change their spots, so we as pilots cannot change our characters, but we can change the way we plan our flights, become aware of our limitations and make adjustments to our planning to reduce the possibility of an incident or accident.

Aviation Safety meeting held in Durban this week by the SA-CAA

Part of the Know your Spots CAA team

Durban Skyye Instructor and CEO Dave with Louis attending the meeting.

View of Durban from above

This is the view from our office in the skyye! Flights to and from Virginia airport, home base of Durban Skyye flight school, are required to route according to the Durban Special Rules regulations which take us around the harbour entrance when routing south.At 1000 ft leaving Virginia and 1500 ft returning.

Microlight Flights this holiday season

Get your Christmas Gift Voucher or book your holiday microlight flight and see Durban beachfront and Umhlanga from above. Intro flights available or full pilot training.. R600 per person 20 minute flight from Virginia Airport along the Durban beachfront past the Stadium to the harbour and back; R850 per person 30 minute flight as for the 20 min flight plus to the Umhlanga Lighthouse and beachfront returning to Virginia Airport. Contact Brad on 082 820 4840 or Dave 083 7033329.

Gift Vouchers

For gift vouchers please choose the duration flight and bank the appropriate amount to our bank account:

Standard Bank a/c Durban Skyye Flight School (Pty) Ltd
a/c 243 229 593 branch 043326
ref: your name

Then email us the name of the person the Gift Voucher is for and the occasion (eg Birthday or Christmas gift) and we will personalise the voucher and email it back to you. durbanskyye@gmail.com

Congratulations to our LSA pilot Rupert

Rupert is no stranger to the skyye and already has his helicopter licence. He has now completed our conversion course to fixed wing aircraft and qualified with his NPL (LSA) licence. The training involves writing two more exams as the Principles of Flight are different for the two types of aircraft and the Technical and General exam also needed to test his new technical knowledge of fixed wing aircraft, along with some practical training with our instructors.

Our Instructor Johnny (right) congratulates Rupert after his flight skills test

Rupert with our fixed wing Sling training aircraft FYA

Rupert in the skyye over Durban

Looking pleased as punch after completing his skills test

Bushbaby Explorer Taildragger For Sale

R750 000,00 buys you this beautiful Bushbaby Explorer with new MGL large 12" touchscreen EFIS and low 130 hours engine and airframe. It is also available in a shared syndicate - R420 000 buys you a half share of this aircraft hangared at Virginia Airport, Durban, where it may also be viewed. Tel Dave on 083-7033329 or Mark 076 684 6635 to view. email durbanskyee@gmail.com

NPL or PPL licence required to fly this beauty - a light sport aircraft in taildragger format

Specifications:

Advanced large touch-screen EFIS

Ivo constant speed prop with flyzone controller - 70 hours
Rotax 912 engine - 130 hours
Mgl voyager touchscreen efis with gps nav
Trig transponder
Mgl v6 radio
Proxalert R5 TCAS
12v sockets
Brand new leather interior
110l tanks
Night rated
Fitted with vg's 3 axis autopilot
Cruise speed 130mph

Difference between prop and engine hours was due to elective prop upgrade.

New comfortable seating

Congrats to solo students

The most amazing moment is when the flight instructor steps out of the aircraft and says you're good to fly on your own. Here our Chief Flying Instructor Brad and CEO Dave congratulate Durban Skyye students after their first solo flight.

Cass goes solo in our Sling FYA

A proud moment for Gordon Webb

William says "Yes, I did it!!"

Brad congratulates William on his first solo flight